Hourglass
by Shmezz
Summary: After Stargazer. What happens when Charity wants revenge on Lucas for staking her? Or what about what happens when Bianca's parents find her...and see shes been staying with black cross. What about the Wraiths? We cant forget about them, can we?
1. Chapter 1, Part 1, Sorry its confusing!

**Ok, I live in Australia, and at Dymocks is the stargazer. It's weird no one was it, anyway, PART ONE!!! I OWN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL !! IM JUSTT TELLING TOU WHAT IS IT REAL FIRST CHAPTER!!!**

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I gasped for air so hard that my chest hurt. My face felt hot, and strands of my hair stuck to the sweaty back of my neck. Every single muscle hurt.

In front of me stood Eduardo, one of the leaders of this Black Cross cell, with a stake in his hand. All around us stood his vampire hunters, a ragtag army in denim and flannel, watching in silence. None of them would help me. We stood apart from them in the centre of the room. Harsh light from overhead painted him in dark shadows.

"Come on, Bianca. Get in the game." His voice could sound like a growl when he chose, and every word echoed off the concrete floor and metal walls of the abandoned warehouse. "This is a fight to the death. Aren't you even going to try and stop me?"

If I sprang at him in an effort to grab his weapon or knock him down, he'd be able to throw me to the floor. Eduardo was stronger and faster, and he' been hunting for years. He'd probably killed hundreds of vampires-all of them older and more powerful then me.

Lucas, what can I do?

But I didn't dare look around for Lucas. I knew that if I took my eyes away from Eduardo for a second, the battle would be over in a second, and I'd lose.

I took a couple of steps backward, but I stumbled. The borrowed shoes I wore were too big for me, and one of them slipped off my foot.

"Clumsy," Eduardo said. He turned the stake between his fingers, as if imagining different angles at which to strike. His smile was so satisfied-so smug-that I stopped being scared and started being mad.

I grabbed the shoe at flung it a Eduardo's face as hard as I could.

It smacked into his nose, and our audience burst out laughing. A few of them clapped. The tension had burst in an instant, and I was once more apart of their gang, or so they thought.

"Nice," Lucas said as he emerged from the circle of watchers and put his hands on my shoulders. "Very nice."

"I'm not exactly a black belt." I couldn't catch my breath for panting. Sparring practice always wore me out; this was the first time it hadn't ended with me flat on my back.

"You've got good instincts." Lucas's fingers kneaded the sore muscles in the base of my neck.

Eduardo didn't thin having a shoe thrown at his face was funny. He glared at me, an expression that would've been more fearsome if his nose weren't bright red. "Cute-in sparring practice. But if you think a stunt like that will save you in the real world-"

"It will if her opponent takes her for granted," said Kate. "Like you did."

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Ok, part one(:


	2. Chapter 1, Part 2 out of three

**Ok, sorry i haven't finished rest of chap one in a bit. this is a bit more buhh there will be another chap after this for chapter one. sorry this is really confusing its juss none of you have read the real chapter one for Hourglass, and this is it. i have it in the back of my stargazer but no one else seems to. its weird. **

That shut Eduardo up, any he smiled ruefully. Officially, he and Kate were co-leaders of this Black Cross cell, but after only four days with them, I knew most people look to Kate for the final word. Eduardo didn't seem to find. As touchy and prickly as he was with everyone else, Lucas's stepfather apparently thought Kate could do no wrong.

"Doesn't matter how you knock them down as long as the fall," said Dana. "Now, can we eat all ready? Bianca's got to be starving."

I thought of blood – rich and red and hot, more delicious then any food could ever be – and a small shiver passed through me. Lucas saw it and put his arm around my waist to draw me close, as if for a hug. He whispered, "You okay?"

"Just hungry."

His dark-green eyes met mine. If there was unease about my need for blood, there was understanding, too.

But Lucas couldn't help me anymore than I could help myself. For the time being, we were trapped.

Four days earlier, my school, Evernight Academy, had been raided and burned by Black Cross. The hunters knew the secret of Evernight: that it was a refuge for vampires, a place to teach them about the modern world. That made it a target for Black Cross – a band of deadly vampire hunters, all of whom are trained to kill.

What they didn't know was that I wasn't one of the many human students who studied alongside the vampires of Evernight, unawares. I was a vampire.

Well, not a full vampire. If I had my way, that was something I would never become. But I had been born to two vampires, and despite the act that I was a living person, I had some of the powers of a vampire, and some of the needs.

Like, for instance, the need for blood.

Ever since the attack at Evernight Academy, this Black Cross cell was in "lockdown." This meant we were hiding in one secure location – namely this warehouse, which smelled like old tires, had cots for s to sleep on and oil stains on the concrete floor. People could only go outside if they were patrolling to watch out for the vampires who might come after us in revenge for the attack on the school. We had to spend virtually every waking second in preparation for battles to come. I'd learned to sharpen knives, for instance, and had the very weird experience of whittling a stake. And now they'd started teaching me to fight.

Privacy? Forget about it. I was lucky there was even a door in front of the toilet. That meant Lucas and I had almost no chance to be alone – and, even worse, that I hadn't drunken blood in four days.

Without blood, I became weak. I became hungry. The craving controlled me more and more, and if this went on much longer, I wasn't sure what I would do.

No matter what, I couldn't drink in front of anybody in Black Cross, save for Lucas. When he had seen me bite another vampire during his year at Evernight Academy, I'd thought he would reject me forever; instead, he had overcome his Black Cross indoctrination and remained in love with me. But I doubted many other vampire hunters would be capable of the same change of heart. If anyone else in the room with us right now saw me drink blood and realized the truth, I knew exactly what would happen. They would all turn on me in an instant.

Even Dana, one of Lucas' best friends, who was still cackling about my small victory over Eduardo. Even Kate, who credited me with saving Lucas' life. Even Raquel, my roommate from school who had joined me in Black Cross. Every time I looked at any of them, had to remember: They'd kill me if they knew.

"Peanut butter again," Dana said as a few of us sat on the floor by our cots with our scanty dinner. "You know, seems like I remember enjoying peanut butter, once upon a long ago."

"Beats noodles with butter," Lucas said. Dana groaned. In reply to my curious glance, he added, "Last year, for a while, that was pretty much all we could afford. Seriously, every meal for a month, spaghetti noodles with butter. If I never eat that again, it'll be too soon."

"Who cares?" Raquel spread peanut butter on her bread like it was fine caviar. She hadn't stopped smiling in four days, ever since Black Cross announced they'd take us in. "So we aren't dining out at fancy restaurants every night. What does it matter? We're actually doing something important. Something real."

I pointed out, "Right now, we're mostly hiding in a warehouse, eating peanut butter sandwiched without jelly three times a day."

That didn't faze Raquel in the slightest. "It's just part of the sacrifice we have to make. It's worth it."

Dana ruffled Raquel's short black hair affectionately. "Spoken like a true newbie. We'll see what you say in year five." Raquel beamed. She loved the idea of being with Black Cross for five years, for ten, her whole life. After being stalked by vampires at school and haunted by ghosts at home, Raquel wanted nothing more than to kick some supernatural butt. As strange and hungry as the past four days have been, I'd never seen Raquel happier.

"Lights out in one hour!" yelled Kate. "Do what you've gotta."

As one, Dana and Raquel stuffed the last crusts of their sandwiched in their mouth and took off toward the makeshift shower that had been set up in the back. Only the first few people in line would have time to wash tonight, and only one or two would actually get warm water. Were they planning on fighting each other for a spot in line? The only alternative would probably be to share.

I felt too exhausted to think about taking clothes off, sweaty though I was. "In the morning," I said, half to Lucas and half to myself. "I'll have time to wash up in the morning."

"Hey." His hand rested on my forearm, comfortingly warm and strong. "You're trembling."

"I guess I am."

Lucas shifted until he sat next to me, and our bodies were side by side, His tall frame, well-muscled but wiry, made me feel small and delicate next to him, and his dark gold hair looked brilliant in these dingy surroundings. His warmth made me imagine I was in front of a fireplace in winter. As he pushed one arm around my shoulders, I rested my aching head against him and closed my eyes. That way, I could pretend that there weren't a couple dozen people walking around us, talking and laughing. That we weren't in some gray, ugly warehouse that smelled like rubber. That there was nobody in the world but Lucas and me.

Into my ear, he murmured, "I'm worried about you."

"I'm worried about me too."

"Lockdowns not going to go on much longer. Then we can get you some – something to eat, I mean – and you and I can figure out what to do next."

I understood what he meant by that. We were going to run away from this, the way we'd planned before the attack on Evernight. Lucas wanted to get away form Black Cross almost as badly as I did. But in order to do that, we'd need a little money, our freedom, and a chance to make plans together in private. Right now, all we could do was hang on.

When I looked at Lucas, I saw the concern in his dark green eyes. I put my hand to his cheek and felt the rough scrub of beard stubble. "We'll make it. I know we will."

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 1, Part 3 out of three:

**Ok, part 3. Here we go(: This should be the last part for chapter one. I OWN ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THIS AN THE LAST 2 CHAPTERS!!!! I AM JUSS REWRITING THEM ON HERE BEACUSE NONE OF YOU HAVE READ IT! THIS AND LAST 2 CHAPTERS ARE THE REAL CHAPTER 1 WRITTEN BY CLAUDIA GRAY!!**

"I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you." He kept studying me, as if he could somehow find the answer to our problems in the lines on my face. "Not the other way around."

"We can take care of each other."

Lucas embraced me tightly, and for a few seconds, i didn't have to pretend we were anywhere else.

"Lucas!" Eduardo's voice echoed against the concrete metal. We looked up to see him standing nearby, arms folded across his chest. Sweat made a dark V on the front of his T-shirt. Lucas and i drew away from each other. it wasn't that we we're ashamed of what we were doing, but nobody could kill a romantic mood faster than Eduardo. "I want you to walk the perimeter on the first shift tonight."

"I went two nights ago," Lucas protested . "It's not my turn yet."

This only made Eduardo's scowl blacker. "Since when do you start whining about 'turns,' like a kid on the playground who wants the swings?"

"Since you stopped even pretending to be fair. Back off, okay?"

"Or what? You'll run to mummy? Because Kate wants to see some proof to your dedication, Lucas. We all do."

He meant, because of me. Lucas had broken Black Cross rules many times so that we could be together - more then the others in this cell knew.

Lucas wasn't backing down. "I haven't had a full night's sleep since the fire. I'm not spending another night in the drainage ditch outside, waiting for nothing."

Eduardo's dark eyes narrowed. "At any second, we could have a vampire tribe on our trail-"

"And whose fault would that be? After your little stunt at Evernight Academy-"

"Stunt?"

"Time out!" Dana, freshly emerged from her shower smelling strongly of cheap soap, held her hands in a T between Lucas and Eduardo. Her long braids fell over her thin, damp towel looped around her neck. "Chill, okay? In case you lost count, Eduardo, it's actually my turn to take a shift tonight. I don't feel so tired anyway."

Eduardo never liked being vetoed, but he couldn't exactly refuse a willing volunteer. "Suit yourself, Dana."

"Why don't i bring Raquel out with me?" she suggested, smoothly steering the conversation away from Lucas. "My girl's chomping on a bit to do more."

"Raquel's too new. Forget it." Apparently Eduardo felt better having been able to put his foot down. He stalked off.

"Thanks," I said to Dana. "Are you sure you aren't too tired?"

She grinned. "What, do you think I'm going to be dragging butt tomorrow like Lucas did today? No way."

Lucas pretended to punch her arm, and she mock-sneered at him. They pretty much gave each other hell all the time without meaning a word of it. I thought that Dana might be Lucas' best friend. Certainly only a real friend would take perimeter-search shift, which involved - as Lucas put it - a whole lot of stooping, a whole lot of mud and almost no sleep.

Soon everyone around us was preparing for bed. The only privacy any of us had was the 'wall' between the men's half of the room and the women's, which was actually a bunch of old sheets hung over a clothesline. Lucas and I were both right up against the sheets, next to one another, separated only by a few inches and one thin cotton cloth. Sometimes I was reassured by the fact that he was so close: other times, the frustration made me want to scream.

It's not forever, i reminded myself as I changed into the borrowed T-shirt I slept in. The pajamas I'd escaped in had been ruined by soot in the fire: the only thing I wore that belonged to me was the obsidian pendant I'd gotten from my parents, which hung around my neck at all times, even when I was in the shower. The jet brooch Lucas had given me while first dating was tucked into the small bag they'd given me. I didn't think myself as especially materialistic, but losing nearly everything I'd ever owned at once had been a blow. So I treasured the few things I had left.

When Kate called Lights Out, somebody flipped the switch almost that instant. I burrowed under the thin, army-styled blanket over my folding cot. It wasn't soft, and it definately wasn't comfortable - cots suck - but i was so exhausted that any chance to rest was welcomed.

To my left, Raquel was already asleep. She rested better here than she ever had at Evernight.

To my right, invisible behind the slowly rippling white sheet, was Lucas.

I imagined the outline of his body behind that sheet, what he would look like in his cot. I fantasized about tiptoeing to his side and sliding in next to him. But we'd be seen. I sighed, giving up this idea.

This was the fourth night I'd done that. And, jus as I'd done the other four nights, once I stopped being frustrated about my inability to be with Lucas, I started worrying.

Mum and Dad have to be okay, I told myself. I remembered the blaze too well - the way the flames had leaped up around me, and the thickness of the smoke. It would have been easy to get lost, to get trapped. Fire was one of the only ways to truly a vampire. They have centuries of experience. They've been in worse trouble before. Remember what Mum told you about the Great Fire of London? If she made it through that, she could make it out of Evernight.

But Mum hadn't made it out of the Great Fire. She'd been terribly injured and near death; my father had "rescued" her by turning her into a vampire like himself.

I hadn't exactly been on great terms with my parents lately. That didn't mean I wanted them to be hurt. Just the thought of them weak and injured somewhere - or worse - made me sick to my stomach.

They weren't the only ones I was worried about. Had Vic been able to get out of the burning school? What about Balthazar? As a vampire, he might have been targeted by Black Cross - or by his psycotic, vengeful sister, Charity, who had prevented me, Lucas abd Raquel from escaping. Or what about poor Ranulf? He was a vampire, but one so gentle and unwordly that it was easy easy to imangine the hunters of Black Cross wiping him out.

I didn't know how any of them were. I might never know. When I chose to leave the grounds with Lucas, I'd known that was a risk I'd have to take. That didn't mean I liked it.

My stomach growled, hungry for blood.

Groaning, I turned over in my cot and prayed for sleep. That was the only way to silence the fears and hungers inside - at least for a few hours.

I reached out for the flower, but even as my fingertip touched the petal, it blackened and withered.

"Not for me," I whispered.

"No. Something better,"said the ghost.

How long had she been there? It seemed as thought she'd always been by my side. We stood together on the grounds of Evernight Academy as dark clouds roiled overhead. Gargoyles glared down at us from the imposing stone towers. The wind blew a few strands of dark-red har across my face. A few leaves, caught in the gale, blew through the aquamarine shadow of the ghost. She flinched.

"Where's Lucas?" Somehow he was supposed to be here, but I couldn't remember why.

"Inside."

"I can't go in there." It wasn't that I was afraid. For some reason, it seemed impossible for me to walk inside the school. The I realized why it was impossible. "This can't be real. Evernight Academy was burned in a fire. It doesn't exist now."

The cocked her head. "When you say 'now,' when do you mean?"

"Feet on the floor!"

The shout awakened us every morning. Even as I blinked my eyes, groggily trying to recall the dream that had already begun to slip away, Raquel bounded from her cot, strandely energized. "Come one, Bianca."

"It's just breakfast," I grumbled. Peanut butter on toast wasn't worth rushng for, in my opinion.

"No something's happening."

Bleary and confused, I stumbled to my feet to see that the Black Cross hunters around me were already on guard. My exhaustion told me that it couldn't possibly be morning yet. Why would they haul us out of bed in the middle of the night?

Oh, no.

Dana ran in and yelled, "Confirmed! Arm up, now!"

"The vampires," Raquel whispered. "They've come."

**Ok, well thats the end of chapter one(: This was all written by Claudia Gray, Next chapter starts my own writing(: so start reviewing on tht chapter.**


	4. Authors Note,

**ok, i know you all hate AN notes, buhh this is juss to remind you ;;**

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**I DID NOT WRITE ANY OF THE LAST THREE CHAPTERS!!**

**DO NOT COMPLIMENT ME ON THEM!**

**THEY ARE WRITTEN BY CLAUDIA GRAY AND ARE THE REAL FIRST CHAPTER OF HOURGLASS!**

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**Good, glad i cleared that up(: now, read on :D  
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	5. Chapter 2 Iris

Ok, so I'm starting straight at chapter two. Because chapter one is already released and can be found in end of stargazer. If you haven't read it and don't have access to it, I have it written up ready(: juss PM me and send youur email in it and ill send it to youu. Ok, Here we go, ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO CLAUDIA GRAY!!!!!!

I felt Lucas put a stake in my hand and then whispered "Don't worry, you don't need to use it on anybody. Just hold it otherwise people will get suspicious." In my ear.

I nodded and he kissed me on the cheek as we stood there, hand-in-hand, waiting in the middle of the room for them.

I looked around the room. Lucas, Racquel, Dana, Kate and everyone else was in danger. From my family. It was happening again. They all had stakes and knives in hands, ready to fight.

My eyes stopped on Racquel. Her face lit up in excitement. She couldn't wait for this to begin. She'd been harassed by the supernatural, and now she had a chance to get back at it. She'd always sensed something was wrong with Evernight Academy, and now, she knew exactly what after she saw Mrs Bethany bite into a Black Cross hunter's neck.

We heard footsteps, quiet as a mouse, outside, getting a little louder. Closer I realized.

We stood there, prepared as ever, and waited. Eduardo and Kate on either side of the door.

_Crap. Mum, Dad, please don't be in the lead _I thought desperately to myself.

Just then, the door opened, but no one entered.

"Ahh, Black Cross. You don't need to prepare the way you are. I'm only after one of you," Said a voice I recognized. Charity. "I believe his name is… Lucas?"

So much relief flooded over me I nearly fell over. But then, I was filled with rage.

Charity had come for Lucas, probably because he staked her with that tree. Well, she wasn't getting anywhere near him if I had something to do about it.

I was about to walk straight out and stake Charity. Lucas must of realised this because his hand tightened around mine and said teasingly, "You're not still mad about how I staked you with that tree are you? Come on, I didn't kill you. Well not permanently."

He was trying to buy some time, I could tell, and everyone else in Black Cross knew it because they started moving around the room to get better positions.

"Well, no I suppose not. But you're really starting to annoy me." She said just as 2 vampires came in the room and attacked Kate and Eduardo. I couldn't see who was winning, because more vampires came in.

"Dana, Help Racquel!" Lucas shouted from next to me as he pulled me behind him, ready to fight.

"Got it!" Dana shouted as she ran over to Racquel.

"Aww come on." Racquel whined.

"Just let her Racquel!" I shouted at her.

I wondered why they hadn't attacked yet, they just stood around us, circling us.

The 2 vampires who were attacking Kate and Eduardo pushed them both into the rest of us and joined the circle. There were 7 vampires here.

Then Charity walked in. Looking as tiny as ever. But then she looked confused as her eyes fell on me.

"You're here? Why?" She asked me, her face still confused.

"Because I have no where else to go, thanks to you." I said stubbornly to her.

"Well, I'm sorry about that little fire. But I truly despise that woman. But still, they hunt your own kind? How can you stand being around them?" She questioned, still confused.

I almost died. She just told everyone I was a vampire. I could sense everyone's eyes fell on me. Lucas took even more of a protective stand in front of me-if it were possible.

"You say you come here for me but you're making up lies about Bianca?" Lucas said acidly, his lie coming out sounding as if it were true.

"Lies?" Charity asked, a puzzled look on her face.

"Yes lies! If you're really here for me," Lucas said, pushing me behind and away from him, "Then why don't you come and get me?" he said, twisting the knife he had a hold of in his hand.

He was trying to get the subject away from me in case no one believed the fact that I being a vampire was a lie.

I looked at Lucas shocked, hoping he would stop trying to get her to attack him.

"Oh, you make this too easy." Charity said. "John, Nathan!" She continued. The two vampires who were fighting Eduardo and Kate stepped forward.

"Yes?" They chorused.

"Get him, bring him outside." She said as she walked towards the door.

John and Nathan started walking towards Lucas. "Leave me alone, I'll go out myself." Lucas said, walking outside.


	6. Chapter3 Born for this, Brighter, Decoy

**_Ok, so just to clear this up, last chapter was called _Iris_ because I was listening to _Iris_ by _The GooGoo Dolls_ when I was writing it. I was kinda obsessed with it for that half hour :L Ok, Please review :D – Listening to _Decoy, Brighter _And_ Born for this_ by _Paramore_ :D awesome band :P a few of my chapters might be named after Paramore songs... Anyway sorry ill shut up now, here we go(: Enjoy._**

"Lucas!" Kate and I screamed.

I started walking outside and managed about one and a half steps towards the door before another vampire stood in front of me, crossing his arms and saying, "Sorry, they got business to discuss, Missy. Can't have you disturbing them can we?"

I let out a heavy annoyed sigh and crossed my arms. I saw Kate out of the corner of my eye, her face a little panicked for her son instead of her usual non-emotion mask she wore.

I anticipated the chances of living if I attempted to stake him now and surprise him. I knew he'd get me first. But I had to do something. Lucas was outside, probably seconds or minutes away from being murdered.

Just then, Charity walked through the door. "Bianca, come outside with me will you?" She asked in an angelic tone.

"What the hell? Bianca don't!" I heard Racquel shout at me.

"Shut her up!" Charity yelled.

"No! Just leave her alone. I'll come out." I said, carefully stepping around the vampire in front of me. I looked at Racquel as I walked towards the door and she gave me a look that could only say _Be Careful._

I walked outside and saw Lucas standing about 15 metres away, John and Nathan next to him. He had a look on his face. He was scared. But he was scared for me.

He was scared because he couldn't be by my side. He was scared Charity would do something to me.

But I was more scared for him; he was the one they wanted. I was scared they might make me watch. I wouldn't be able to see that. No, I couldn't think about him being hurt, I had to think strategy.

"Bianca. God what are we going to do with you?" Charity said as she walked in circle around me.

"Don't touch her! You said you were here for me, I'm over here not there!" Lucas shouted at Charity, looking about ready to cut her head off. Well, he did have his knife in his hand still.

"Relax, your time will come." Charity said from behind me. I had to look strong, but most of all, actually stay strong.

"Charity, what do you want?" I asked in an annoyed tone. She was in front of me now. She stopped and looked at me.

"Hmm, let's think. My brother stayed in a school that was _burning _to help everyone instead of coming with his sister whom he worked with Black Cross to find, and then your boyfriend pushes me into a tree branch, which staked me. Hmm, I wonder what could be wrong there." She said, pointing to her chin. "Wouldn't you want revenge for that too if that happened to you?"

I didn't know how to answer that. I just looked at Lucas, who looked like he desperately wanted to stand in front of me and protect me.

_Ok, Bianca. Breathe. Think. You can do this._ I thought to myself.

"Yehh, I probably would, but I wouldn't go about it the way you are." I said.

"Oh really?" She started circling me again. "How would you go about it then?" She asked from behind me.

"Well," I struggled to find the right words. I looked at Lucas who nodded in support. "I would probably have waited till they weren't surrounded by vampire hunters, till they were alone," I said nervously.

"True true, continue" she was watching the ground in front of her as she walked, her hands behind her back.

"Then maybe I wouldn't want others to have the victory, as in I wouldn't give them the chance, I'd want to prove that I don't have to have a group to bring them down, I'd want to do it myself." I said. I was trying to get her to reconsider on tonight with so many other vampires around. I was trying to get her to come back another time, by herself though.

"I like your idea. But the thing is, the group tells him he can't mess with me." She said, seeming sure of this.

"No, not really. It actually kind of says that you can't take care of things on your on," I said in a matter-of-fact tone. "No offence." I quickly added.

"Really? Well, I suppose I should do it on my own… next time. But now, well, I don't want to have wasted my time here." Charity said with a grin on her face. "John, Nathan, deal wi-" she was cut off by a clattering and a bang inside. "What the hell is going on in there?" She said as she walked towards the door but stopped about 4 steps away. "Hold onto them, make sure they don't get out of you grip." She said with a glare at John and Nathan.

Just then, one of them-either John or Nathan, I don't know which- came and grabbed onto my arms, gripping them together behind my back. "Hey!" I said, attempting to struggle out of his grip but failing. Damn he was strong!

"Let go of her!" Lucas shouted as he struggled as well.

Just then, I thought of an idea. _God damnit, Bianca, why didn't you think of this before! He's a guy! He's got a weak spot! _Acting on this thought, I thrust my leg forward, bent it, then kicked him right in the groin.

"OW!!" He screamed in protest and fell to the ground, grabbing his crouch.

This made the other vampire let go of Lucas and come towards me… just as I expected. But before he got anywhere, Lucas plunged the steak into his back. The vamp staggered around sputtering, then fell to the ground. I stood there, kind of frozen. I knew Lucas had to, but it was still a shock to see him stake a vampire.

"Bianca?" Lucas walked towards me slowly, arms up. "Relax, I won't hurt you."

"Hurt me? Why did you think that I thought you would hurt me?" I asked, unfrozen now but confused.

"Oh, well that's a relief." Lucas came over to me, still cautious, and when he decided I wasn't scared of him, took me in his arms. "You know I had to do that right?"

"Ohh I know, don't worry. It's still just a bit of a shock." I said, hugging him tightly.

Just then, Lucas pulled me behind him at took the stake from my hand.

"You're gonna pay for that." The vamp I kicked in the crouch was now up and walking towards us.

"No, you're gonna pay for holding her like that." Lucas said as he lunged towards the vamp, but he dodged and punched Lucas in the shoulder.

"Lucas!" I shrieked.

The vamp was walking towards me now. I staggered back a couple of steps. "Oh, this will be too easy." He said as he got closer. "Come on, what sort of vampire are you? Running away from a fight."

"Yehh, well, I'm not really a vampire." I said, looking around in my peripheral vision to see if I could find anything to use as a stake. I was coming up blank.

Just then, a stake came out of his chest and he cried in pain then fell to the floor.

"You ok?" Lucas asked as he rubbed is shoulder.

"Yep." I said, running over to him and squeezing him. He squeezed me back but only with the arm that wasn't punched.

I pulled away from him a bit to look up to his face. "Does your shoulder hurt?" I said then rubbed it with my hand.

He winced a bit. "Yehh, kind of."

Just then, someone screamed from inside.

Oh God Oh God I knew that scream. It was Raquel.

I bolted to the door and took in the sight. Charity was fighting Eduardo. More vampires had come. There were now about 13. They were all fighting other Black Cross people. And Dana was trying to fend one off. But the worst sight of all: Raquel was in the corner, trying her hardest but failing to fend off another vampire.

I looked around for any weapons. I saw a table with a couple of stakes on it. I looked around to make sure no vampires would see me, then when I was pretty sure it was clear, I walked over to the table quietly, careful not to bump into anyone.

I was vaguely aware of Lucas walking behind me, ready to pull me away, but I was determined. I couldn't let that vampire hurt Raquel.

I was filled with relief when I got to the table and picked up a stake.

I turned around to go over to where Raquel stood but Lucas was standing in my way. He must of realised what I was doing because he moved closer to me and whispered, "Pass me the stake."

"No. I'm going to do this."

"Bianca, come on. I don't want you getting hurt." He retorted.

"Then cover me." I said, looking into his eyes, hoping mine showed determination in them.

They must of because he sighed and said, "Okay." And reached behind me and grabbed a stake.

_You can do this. You're not killing him permanently, and besides, if you don't, he's going to hurt Raquel!_ When I thought that last part, I knew I could do this.

I walked over, careful to not be noticed and aware of Lucas behind me, watching my back, to where Raquel was trying to fight the vampire.

I managed to get behind him quietly and unnoticed.

I tapped his shoulder and said, "Hey!"

As he spun around, I kept thinking to myself, Y_ou have to save Raquel! You have to save Raquel! _

As soon as he was facing me, I plunged the stake into him. He stumbled forward, then backward, then around a bit more before falling to the ground.

Raquel looked up at me. "Nice work, Bianca!" She said, her face, was half scared, turning into excited.

"Thanks." I said, a little breathless.

I still couldn't believe I just staked a vampire. I felt hands slide onto my waist and instantly spun around, hitting the guy in the face before I knew who it was.

And then I saw it was Lucas.

"Oh my god, Lucas! I'm so sorry! I'm so, so, so, so sorry! My reflexes got the better off me cause you scared me." I said, holding my hand to his face to see if he was ok.

"Nah it's ok." He said, rubbing his jaw. "That was good reflexes. Put your fist together next time, and jeez I wouldn't want to be the guy who sneaks up behind you."

I laughed.

"So are you okay?" Lucas asked, putting his hands on my shoulders, giving them a light squeeze, and staring into my eyes.

**Sorry guys, i gotta go to bed, pretty tired. i'll update soon(: but i want some reviews please if yous dont mind(: because, seriously, im putting up with my mum SCREAMING at me juss so i could keep going with this chapter for you guys(: you should feel how do you think Bianca is feeling atm? i mean, shes been against killing vamps the whole time, so how do you think she feels now that she did it herself? even if it was to save her friend? Review and tell :D  
**

**ilyy,**

**-Shmezz  
**


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